Ukraine and Romania agree on grain trade rules to take effect in 30 days

Romanian farmers will import grain from Ukraine only under license and only in case of emergency. This is reported by Europa Libera Romania.

The Ministers of Agriculture of Romania and Ukraine Florin Barbu and Mykola Solsky have agreed on a tough new mechanism under which four types of grain can be imported to Romania again. The new system will require Ukrainian and Romanian farmers to obtain licenses.

It is a licensing system for exporting and importing companies.

The export licenses for Ukrainian companies will start in 30 days, during which Romania will also develop a clear licensing procedure for Romanian farmers and processors.

Another agreed upon rule is that imports are to be made only by farmers and processors, not intermediaries, say sources from the Ministry of Agriculture for a Free Europe.

“A farmer who wants to import, for example, 1,000 tons of sunflower from Ukraine has to prove that he does not have that much and that his animals cannot live without it,” a source close to the discussions between the two countries’ agriculture ministers told the publication.

The authorities will check the stocks of farmers who ask to import grain from Ukraine.

Another condition is obtaining a quality certificate. The farmer will have to take a sample of the imported goods to the National Veterinary and Food Safety Authority (ANSVSA), where he will receive a certificate stating that the goods are of high quality and do not contain banned pesticides.

As a reminder, the Ukrainian government has submitted to the European Commission an action plan to control the export of 4 groups of agricultural products from Ukraine.

Tags: Ukraine, grain, Romania